Saukville showroom converted into sprawling day-time care facility

Like a small pearl found in a seashell, Golden Pearl, an adult day care facility, hopes to shine in its new business space at 138 S. Foster Dr. in Saukville.

In less than two weeks, the company has transformed the 5,700-square-foot space recently occupied by Sandmasters Inc. into a daytime home for adults.

“My first love about this was the main area because it’s so open and inviting,” said Lisa Perelshtein, vice president of Golden Pearl. “It’s home.”

Golden Pearl is a state-certified facility that provides day services for adults with mental, physical or developmental disabilities, as well as elderly adults who need assistance.

When Perelshtein and her husband Mark, the owner of Golden Pearl, started looking for business space in February, they were first shown the area once occupied by Lakeshore Dance in the strip mall on South Foster Drive.

The former dance studio needed remodeling, and since the Perelshteins were eager to open their business right away, they weren’t keen on the idea of having to make repairs.

What immediately caught their eye was the refinished space that Sandmasters occupied next door.

Peter Kowalchuk, who owns Sandmasters, and the strip mall itself, was happy to offer the space to them once he understood Golden Pearl’s needs.

“We were looking to downsize our showroom anyway, so it was a good match for us,” he said.

So the hardwood floor company packed up and moved into the former dance studio, which is now being remodeled into a new showroom.

The Perelshteins, who live in Grafton, thought a Saukville location would allow their business to reach a wide range of clients.

“We opened in this particular location in hopes of helping both Washington County as well as Ozaukee County,” Perelshtein said.

“We have a big program area where it’s more of a social atmosphere, but there are also smaller areas,” said Jade Ramsey, program director.

“There’s something available for everybody. You don’t have to be part of a big group, and you don’t have to be isolated. We have activities for folks of all ages and all abilities.”

The center can accommodate as many as 30 participants and currently has seven staff members, including a driver who provides transportation to and from the facility.

The Perelshteins are working with an architect to expand their center into an empty part of the strip mall just south of their space. Once completed, Golden Pearl will be able to accommodate 120 clients.

The center is taking referrals now and will open soon. Meanwhile, Ramsey and fellow staff members are patiently waiting for people to fill its lounge, game room and other areas.

“I’m looking forward to the person-centered care,” she said. “They come and we figure out who they are. We provide activities and personal care and all sorts of plans that involve not just their age and their diagnosis. It has to do with their social history, with their preferences.”

After months of preparation, Perelshtein is excited to get out and get involved.

“I am looking forward to not be sitting behind my desk. I like to be on the floor with my participants and members,” she said. “To me, it’s extremely rewarding to sit and chat with them, do crafts or play a game.”

Golden Pearl will host an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 24. For reservations, call 268-1120.

Image Information: GOLDEN PEARL, a state-certified facility that provides day services for the elderly and adults with disabilities, has settled in at the former showroom of Sandmasters, Inc., 138 S. Foster Dr., Saukville. An open house will be held at the facility Tuesday, April 24. Photo by Sam Arend